The present invention relates generally to wireless telephony systems and more specifically to an IP core network for a wireless/wireline telephony network.
With the advent of the internetwork of networks generally referred to as the Internet, next generation services leveraging the Internet are being developed. For example, next generation services, such as unified messaging and instant messaging, include services based on location technology and IP telephony.
Unified messaging allows a user to access voice and data services, such as voicemail, email, facsimiles, etc., from several different devices. For example, a user may access email, voicemail, and faxes from a computer and also access email and voicemail from a cellular phone. Thus, unified messaging services transmit data, voice, and possibly video through networks.
Instant messaging allows users to send “instant” messages between themselves. The instant messages appear in real-time and allow users to hold conversations using devices such as computers, handheld computers, cellular telephones, and other wireless and internet connectable devices. In addition to exchanging instant messages, users may allow make voice calls and transmit or download data and/or video using their instant messenger. Thus, unified messaging services transmit data, voice, and possibly video through networks.
Accordingly, with the increase of services leveraging both voice and data, separate networks designed to just handle voice or data do not provide a seamless integration of voice and data transmission. For example, a narrow band switch-based Time Division Multiplex (TDM) voice network connected to a switch-based wireless network may be able to handle voice calls. However, the switch-based TDM and wireless networks, which are enabled to provide traditional voice services, do not seamlessly support next generation voice and data services. Additionally, separate wireless and wireline switch based voice and data networks typically are used for voice and data services. Accordingly, next generation services designed for transmission of voice and data are not immediately integrated into the switch-based networks.